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CLC considers creation of a task force, host of other issues

The Campus Life Council (CLC) prepared for the new semester by discussing their ideas and the need for creating a new task force at their first meeting of the semester Monday.

Student body president Bob Reish proposed three key issues that the committee might consider this semester.

Reish first discussed the idea of implementing a Good Samaritan Policy protecting intoxicated students from getting in trouble if they are helping someone who is hurt or sick from drinking.

“A lot of other colleges are instituting this policy in the past couple of years. I think Saint Mary’s did last [semester] which his something to consider,” said Reish.

He also proposed an investigation and assessment of the University’s sexual assault policy.

“Student government has received reactions to current practices, [and] a large percent of them have been negative,” he said. “People feeling like they can’t explain their story and they don’t feel like they are treated fairly.”

CLC is aware that the Gender Issues committee of Student Government has already looked into the sexual assault policy and discussed whether it would be more effective to work with Student Government or to do something separately.

Reish also said he wanted CLC to look at the role of off-campus students and off-campus life.

Linda Cirillo, Lewis Hall’s rector, specifically wants to look at how off-campus students express themselves to the University and how the University looks at off-campus students.

There is currently an off-campus senator on the Student Senate and there is an off-campus council, but Reish said the off-campus representation is not proportionate to the number of students living off-campus.

Additionally, Reish proposed creating a set of rules for off-campus life that would determine the consequences of having an off-campus party. DuLac states that all DuLac rules apply to off-campus students, but Student Government has received complaints that there has not been precedence for punishment in certain situations, said Reish.

Student Body Vice President Grant Schmidt said the Good Samaritan Policy, the sexual assault policy and off-campus life are all issues that are “very subjective and you can’t have hard concrete facts, [like] if you do x then you will get this dollar fine.”

Schmidt suggested that instead of specific rules, CLC should look at informing students so they know what the possible consequences are for actions so that they aren’t caught by surprise.

Student Union Board Manager Meg MacCaughey suggested creating a new task force that focuses on off-campus life, but no definitive decision was reached. Each task force will meet to discuss the relevance of the three suggested issues and report back at the next meeting.